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“In the first three months of the Trump administration, ICE agents arrested some 41,000 people, an increase of nearly 40 percent over the same period last year. At the same time, the administration has expressed a desire to be stricter about allowing people into the country with asylum claims, as most such claims are ultimately rejected.” – The New York Times, June 14, 2017

The June 5 issue of Time, reported that five world leaders are less popular than President Trump. They are Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela, Michel Temer of Brazil, Jacob Zuma of South Africa, Najib Razak of Malaysia and Alexis Tsipras of Greece.

“The economically struggling U.S. island territory of Puerto Rico voted overwhelmingly (June 11) in favor of becoming the 51st state, although turnout was low and adding another star to the U.S. flag likely faces an uphill battle in Congress. A government website for the non-binding referendum, Puerto Rico’s fifth such plebiscite since 1967, showed 97 percent supported statehood.” – Thomas Reuters, June 11, 2017

“Mexico’s most prominent human rights lawyers, journalists and anti-corruption activists have been targeted by advanced spyware sold to the Mexican government on the condition that it be used only to investigate criminals and terrorists.” – The New York Times, June 19, 2017

“Ernestina Laura Herrera de Noble, the publisher of Argentina’s largest circulation daily, Clarin, who was instrumental in turning her husband’s newspaper into one of the largest media conglomerates in the Spanish-speaking world died (June 14) in Buenos Aires. She was 92.” – The New York Times, June 20, 2017

Cuba’s foreign minister rejected President Trump’s new policy toward the island, saying “’we will never negotiate under pressure or under threat’ and refusing to return U.S. fugitives who have received asylum in Cuba.” Rather than weakening the government, he said the policy “would instead create unity behind the communist leadership.” – Associated Press, June 19, 2017

“Brazil’s economy has grown 1 percent in the first three months of 2017, putting an end to the country’s longest recession in history, officials have announced. The GDP increase came after two consecutive years of negative growth, during which the Brazilian economy shrank by almost 8 percent.” – BBC News, June 1, 2017